El Camino’s Gibbs breaks Devers’ section record in 100 meters

By Steve Brand, Special to the U-T
| 10:03 p.m.June 1, 2012

El Camino senior Jasmine Gibbs (shown at a meet earlier this spring) raced to a time of 11.43 in the 100 meters at the state track prelims to break the San Diego Section record of 11.51 set by Gail Devers at Sweetwater in 1984.
— Charlie Neuman

El Camino senior Jasmine Gibbs (shown at a meet earlier this spring) raced to a time of 11.43 in the 100 meters at the state track prelims to break the San Diego Section record of 11.51 set by Gail Devers at Sweetwater in 1984.
— Charlie Neuman

That time bettered the 11.51 run by three-time Olympic gold medalist Gail Devers while a senior at Sweetwater High in 1984.

Told after her race that she replaced an icon, Gibbs smiled even wider.

“I know of her, but I’ve never met her,” said Gibbs. “I’ve seen pictures of her. Breaking Gail Devers’ record — I’m speechless.”

Gibbs’ mark was not only a section record, it was the No. 1 time in the state this year — better than the 11.45 run by Long Beach Poly’s Ariana Washington, who qualified third and will be right next to Gibbs in today’s finals.

“I’m really not thinking about her, I’m just hoping to run faster,” Gibbs said. “I was just happy to break the school record (11.65 by Jolanda Diego). The section record — wow.”

Gibbs also was the No. 2 qualifier in the long jump at 19-4 as well as the No. 7 finisher in the 200 at 24.06.

Elsewhere, La Costa Canyon’s Darren Fahy, Oceanside’s Joniece Ervin and Army-Navy’s Alex Monsivaiz were impressive qualifiers while Carlsbad’s Breana Jemison advanced in the two weight events, including being the surprise leader in the discus at 145-3.

Fahy won his heat and was the No. 2 qualifier in the 1,600, cruising in at 4:14.07.

“I’m happy with that time today,” said Fahy, who will also double back in his best event, the 3,200. “It should take something like 4:05 to win it, but I’m really excited.”

Monsivaiz led the whole way and won his 800-meter race after going out at 55 seconds, pulling away at 600 and then easing up the final 50 meters to win his heat in 1:51.92.

“I was saving it for tomorrow,” said Monsivaiz, the state leader in the event at 1:50.47. “It will take 1:48 to win it despite the heat.”

For San Diegans, the triple-figure heat took its toll on some of the competitors, but not Ervin and Torrey Pines’ Taylor Larch-Miller, who ran the second- and fourth-fastest 300 hurdle times in section history.

Ervin’s 42.62 was second to Devers’ 42.26 while Larch-Miller sizzled a 42.75.

El Camino’s Danielle Bryan was one of three leaders in the high jump at 5-7.